Flush valve



July 7, 17936. w. A. STOUT FLUSH VALVE Original Filed Oct. 5,

Patented July 7, 17936 f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSH VALVE winmfrea n. stout, Stockton, Calif.

Application October 5, 1934, Serial No. 747,067 Renewed May-6, 1936 7 claims.

My present invention relates generally toflushing `devices and more particularly to that type of device which includes a pressure` seated pistonand manually opened valve substantially remote -from the piston and controlling an outlet channel which, when the valve is open,` ports the pressure chamber into the outow channel.

The i primary object of my inventionl is the provision of an arrangement of the above type in which the workingv -parts are so arranged as to be readily accessible for purposes of repair, adjustment or replacementJ of parts, and to promote simplicity, eiTecti-ve actionand augmented life.

o Further andmore specic objects of my invention will appear in the course of the` following detailed description of its construction, operation and advantages, reference being Vhad to the accompanying drawing,V which forms a part of this sp'ecication, and in which Figure 1A is a vertical sectional view through my improved flushing device;

Figure 2.s a horizontal section taken substantially on line 2-2 `of Figure 1, and,

Figure 3 isa bottom plan View of the piston.

Referring now to' Vthese gures, my improved device comprises anl open top casing I 0 having inflow and outflow passages II and I2 respectively-, ande-an internal cylindrical wall I'3-, forming an inner continuation of the outowpassage. The wall I-3 opposes in spaced relation and -extends abovefthe `inner end of the inilow passage I I.

Communication between the inflow and outow passages is controlled'by apiston Ill-in a piston cylinder I5 of substantially greater diameter than the wallv I3 and openat eaclr end. The lower 4portion of cylinder I5encompasses in spaced relation the upper part of Vwall |32 '-I'hellower end of cylinder I5' is-mounted, belowtheupperl end of Wal-l I3, upon 'an interna-l annular seat ,I 5a formed Von the inner tace of casing I'IJ.

The upper end of cylinder I 5 is engagedy and heldL by a cap I6 which also closes the open top lof casing' Ill. The cap= I6 includesa rim-V I-Iia having a reduced peripherally threaded-'part T615, a peripheral shoulder IBG' formed with adepending annular flange Itd coacting with the upper "portion, 4of part I Iib to f'orm anl annular pocket |66' inwhich is arranged a washer I6f. A The reducedv part I tb depends into the open upper end of casing IIl and has threaded engagement with the inner face of the latter. The casing I0 extends into pocket I6el and has itstop` edge bearing against washer I6f. The casing III- and rim I6a of cap I6 are spaced from cylinder I5. The cap` I6 coacts With theA seat I5a for' holding ranged" a seating ring 23a.

connects' the pockets together.

(o1. 13a-sm the cylinder I5 stationary. The cap I6 is formed with an axial threaded bore to receivey an adjusting screw Il extending downwardly into the cylinder I5 to limit upward movement of the piston I4, and a cap screw I8 to normally prevent tampering withthe adjusting screw Il. 5

The cylinder I5 in connection with the adjacent portion of casing I0 and rim I6a of the cap I9 provides a pressure chamber I5 which communicates at its upper end with the upper por L()A ber i9. The body of 4casing I is formed diametrically opposite the means 20 with a permanently open-pressure outlet port 2l leading downwardly, from chamber I9'l and opening into the inner end of a cylindrical side valve chamber 22 open at itsA outer end, closed at its inner end and formed from an integral part of the body of casing i.

Thel outer portion of valve chamber 22 is en- 25 largedg thereby providing therein an outwardly facing annular shoulder 23 against which is ar- Seated against ring 23a is the inner end of a valve cage or plug 24 Aformed at its outer end with an annular flange 30 24a abutting casing I0. The plug 2a constitutes a; closure for chamber 22 and also a combined is spaced from the enlarged portion ofthe' valve 35 'chamber 22 and from the space 24h between the said portions a channel 25 leads to the outflow passage I2'. l

Thev outer portion of plug 24 threadedly en'- gages'with the wall of chamber 22. The plug 24 y40 has a pocket 24C opening at its outer end and a pocketZ'I- openingat its inner end. The pocket 2T opens into the` inner or portion of smallest diameter of chamber 22. The socket 24c is of greater diameter and depth than that of pocket 21. The plug 24 has an axial bore 2la which The plug 24 is provided with a channel 28 Vwhich leads from pocket 2l tothe space 2lib and has its discharge end align with the intake end of channel 25. Extending through the pocketsV and said bore is a spring controlled valve stem 26 having its inner end projected into the inner portion of valve chamber 22'.

The valve 29; secured:` upon the inner end of 55 stem 26, normally seats flatwise against the inner end of plug 24 and thus prevents communication between the inner portion of valve chamber 22, as well as the lower end of port 2 I, with the outlet channel 25. For this purpose, the outer end of stem 26 has an enlarged head 30 and a coil spring 3| is mounted on stem 26 between the base of pocket 26 and the head 3D.

A cap 32 is threaded upon the external surface of the wall of valve chamber 22 and extends beyond the head 30, with its outer end apertured for the reception of an operating handle 33 hav-` ing an inner head 34 with a fiat face contacting the outer face of the valve stem head 30 so that angular movement of handle 33 in any direction will force the valve stem inwardly and unseat the valve 29.

When, in operation, the valve 29 is unseated as above, the pressure chamber i9 is thus vented through port 2|, valve chamber 22 and channel 25 to the outflow passage l2, so that pressure on top of the piston i4 is thus relieved and the latter is moved upwardly off of the upper end of the wall i3, by the water rushing from the inflow passage l i which by this means freely passes out through the outflow passage I2. When handle 33 is released and valve 29 permitted to resume its normal closed position the outlet of the pressure chamber is cut off and pressure immediately begins building up therein due to the forcing of water from the inow passage through the port 2t. This pressure soon reaches the point where, since it is confined, it overcomes the pressure of the water against the lower face of piston I4 and forces the latter downwardly onto the upper end of internal wall I3 cutting on the flushing action.

It will be noted that the piston I is of special construction and in a single piece, with a body, cylindrical in form, of rubber substantially harder than its lower circular rib 35. The relatively soft rib 35 acts as a valve, seating on the upper edge of internal wall i3, and the relatively stiff body of piston Ill is reinforced by an embedded metallic disc 36 and has a dished or concave peripheral face and upper and lower lips 3T around its peripheral edges, whose outer surfaces cooperate with the cylinder I5 in the movements of the piston. The lower lips 31 extend downwardly beyond and encompass in spaced relation the rib 35.

While my invention is ideally adapted to the uses of a flush valve where the amount of water delivered per unit of time in active operation is not a point of great nicety, it is suited equally well to uses where such amount of flow must be regulated with great accuracy, as, for example, when it is used as an instrument for the accurate measurement and delivery of fluids other than water. It will be readily seen that by operating the handle 33 at definite intervals and durations thereof, automatically or otherwise, While maintaining a constant head of the uid entering the inlet passage, and suitably adjusting the screw l'l, the result will be periodic discharges from Athe outlet passage of sensibly equivalent amounts of fluid. I desire it understood, therefore, that I do not wish to confine myself to the interpretation of my invention merely as a flush valve, but desire protection for such other uses as it is well adapted to serve and ask that my claims be interpreted upon that basis.

What I claim is:

1. In a ushing device having inflow and outflow passages and a pressure chamber having an inlet port opening into the inflow passage and an outlet port opening into the outflow passage, and a valve controlling said outlet port, a piston normally seated to close the' outow passage and exposed at one face to the iniiow passage and at its opposite face to the pressure chamber, and a cylinder in which said piston works, said piston having its body formed of compressible resilient material having a seating rib on its active face of greater resiliency than the remaining portion of said body, said body being formed at its ends with annular lips extending in opposite directions therefrom and forming portions of its cylinderengaging periphery.

2. In a flushing device having inow and outflow passages and a pressure chamber having an inlet port opening into the inflow passage and an outlet port opening into the outow passage, and a valve controlling said outlet port, a piston normally seated upon and closing the intake end of said outlet passage, said piston being exposed at one face to the inflow passage and having its opposite face subjected to pressure from said chamber, and a cylinder in which said piston works and communicating with said chamber, said piston having its body formed of compressible resilient material of different degrees of softness, the seating portion thereof being materially softer than any other part of the piston, and the said body being provided at its ends with annular ared lips extending in` opposite directions therefrom for engagement with the inner face of said cylinder, one of said lips encompassing in spaced relation and extending beyond said seating portion.

3. In a flushing device having inov/ and outflow passages and a pressure chamber having an inlet port opening into the iniiow passage and an outlet port opening into the outflow passage, the intake end of said outow passage being arranged above the inner end of said inflow passage, a valve controlling said outlet port, a piston normally seated on said intake end to close the outiiow passage and exposed at one face to the iniiow passage and at its opposite face for the application of pressure from said chamber, and a cylinder in which said piston operates communicating with said chamber, said piston having its body formed of compressible resilient material having that part seating upon said intake end of greater resiliency than the remaining part thereof, said body being formed at its ends with flared annular lips extending in opposite directions therefrom to engage the cylinder wall, the said body being provided with a deformation-resisting member of harder and less resilient material than the remainder of the body.

4. In a flushing device having inow and outflow passages and a pressure chamber having an inlet port opening into the inflow passage and an outlet port opening into the outflow passage said outow passage having an intake end above the inner end of the inflow passage, a shiftable spring controlled valve controlling said outlet port, a piston normally seated on said intake end to close the outiiow passage and exposed at one face to the inflow passage and at its opposite face for the application of pressure from said chamber, and a cylinder in which said piston operates and for receiving pressure at its upper end from said chamber for application upon the piston, said piston having its body molded as a unit of semihard rubber with a soft rubber seating rib on that face thereof exposed to the inflow passage,

and with flared annular lips at its ends extending in opposite directions therefrom and forming portions permanently engaging with the cylinder wall.

5. In a flushing device having inflow and outilow passages and a pressure chamber having an -inlet port opening into the inflow passage and an outlet port, a piston normally seated on and closing the intake end of the outflow passage and exposed at one face to the inflow passage and at its opposite face for the application of pressure from said chamber, a shiftable spring controlled valve normally closing said outlet port, and a cylinder in which said piston operates and for receiving pressure at its upper end from said chamber for application upon the piston, said piston having its body molded as a unit of semihard rubber and a soft rubber seating rib on that face exposed to the outflow passage and annular flared lips extending in opposite directions from its ends to permanently engage the cylinder wall, and said piston having its body provided with an embedded deformation-resisting member of a relatively stiff non-yielding material.

6. In a flushing device a casing being formed to provide an inflow passage, an outow passage including an upstanding cylindrical wall forming portion arranged in close spaced relation to and extending above the inner end of the inflow passage and a valve chamber spaced from and disposed at right angles to said wall forming portion, the upper end of said wall forming portion providing an intake for said outflow passage, a cylinder supported on its lower end within and by the casing and having its lower portion encompassing in spaced relation the upper part of said wall forming portion, a part of the lower end of said cylinder arranged outwardly with respect to the inner end of said inflow passage, said cylinder providing a piston chamber, said cylinder and casing coacting to provide a pressure receiving chamber communicating with the piston chamber and having a permanently open inlet leading from said inflow passage and an outlet leading to said valve chamber, a piston operating in said cylinder normally seating on the top of said wall forming portion for closing said outllow passage, said piston having its lower face exposed to the inflow passage and its upper face for application of pressure from the pressure receiving chamber to normally maintain the piston seated, said casing being formed with a channel leading from said Valve chamber to said outilow passage, and a Valve structure connected to the casing and exl tending into said valve chamber, said structure including a shiftable spring controlled valve for normally closing the valve chamber to said channel.

7. In a ilushing device a casing formed to provide an inow passage, an outflow passage including an upstanding cylindrical wall forming portion arranged in spaced relation to and extending above the inner end of the inflow passage and a Valve chamber spaced from said wall forming portion, the upper end of said wall forming portion providing an intake for said outflow passage, a cylinder supported within the casing and having its lower portion encompassing in spaced relation the upper part of said wall forming portion, said cylinder providing a piston chamber, said cylinder and casing coacting to provide a pressure receiving chamber communicating with the piston chamber and having an inlet leading form said inow passage and an outlet leading to said valve chamber, a piston operating in said cylinder and normally seating on the top of said wall forming portion for closing said outflow passage, said piston having its lower face exposed to the inflow passage and its upper face for application of pressure thereonY from the pressure receiving chamber to normally maintain the piston seated, said casing being formed with a channel leading from said Valve chamber to said outlet passage, a

valve structure connected to the casing and extending into said valve chamber, said structure including a shiftable spring controlled valve for normally closing the valve chamber toV said channel, and said piston formed of a resilient body provided with oppositely disposed flared annular lips permanently bearing against the wall of said cylinder, said piston-having its lower face 'formed 

